Blade, Lance and Ax

[Barry Goldwater]

The combined armies of the North are listed here.

Perceval of Bamburgh (formerly Uthreding)

Richard Perceval, Earl of Northumbria +3 Charisma (+2 base, +1 from temperament) +2 Personal Combat +2 Battles 20 Norman Knights (retinue) 50 Norman Serjeants (retinue) 62 Huscarls 73 Thegns 100 Fyrdmen 101 English Footmen 124 English Archers 81 Hobelars Total: 720 men

Perceval of Nottingham

William Perceval, Earl of Nottingham +3 Battles (+2 base, +1 temperament) +2 Personal Combat +2 Charisma 141 Norman Knights (25 retinue, 45 from buildings) 203 Norman Serjeants (75 retinue, 45 from buildings) 241 Fyrdmen (90 from buildings) 186 English Footmen (45 from buildings) 204 English Archers (45 from buildings) 112 Hobelars Total: 1,190 men

Gerbod's host

76 knights 94 serjeants 139 fyrdmen 167 footmen 190 archers 102 hobilars Retinue: 15 knights 75 serjeants Total: 936 men Commanders: Gerbod de Oosterzele Clais de Yshoute

Siwarding Host

Waltheof (+2 Battles, +3 Survival) Hereward 144 Huscarls 212 Thegns 200 Fyrdmen 147 English Footmen 160 English Archers 119 Hobelars

Avranches army

Host 66 KN 99 SGT 132 FYRD 132 FT 132 AR 99 HOB 660 Men Retinue 25 KN 75 SGT 100 Men Total:760 Men Gerald d'Avranches Skills: +2 battles +1 personal combat +1 Survival +2 wealth +1 Charisma -1 to rout/assassination/escape rolls.

Army of de Tosny

Raoul II de Tosny, Siegneur de Scarborough - +2 Survival, +1 Duels, +3 Battle Robert de Tosny, Siegneur de Bedale - +3 Duels, +2 Survival, +1 Battles 50 Knights 150 Serjeants 105 Knights 142 Serjeants 223 Fyrdmen 109 Hobelars 199 English Archers 199 English Footmen

Odo's army

Odo of Champagne, Earl of Lincoln (NPC: +2 Duels, +1 Charisma, +1 Wealth, +2 Survival) 69 K (25 retinue)141 S (75 retinue) 88 F 88 EF 88 A 66 H 540 men

Baldwin de Clare's contingent

Baldwin: Traits (6): Battles +3 Survival +2 Wealth +1 Personal Forces 25 Knights 75 Serjeants Royal Army 50 Frankish Knights 50 English Housecarls 100 Flemish Spearmen 100 Welsh Longbows

Total strength: 6,343 men

[Xion]

Void.

[Pericles of Athens]

Waltheof’s had been the first host there, understandable considering Waltheof himself had called their forces to York, despite having quit the field outside Hull his force remained sizable. The Earl of Northampton had important news when the Perceval host arrived, the Danes would soon be upon them, though hopefully not before the northern force had assembled fully. He rode out toward their column to speak with the freshly minted Earl of Northumbria and his father.

Siwarding Host

Waltheof (+2 Battles, +3 Survival) Hereward 144 Huscarls 233 Thegns 237 Fyrdmen 170 English Footmen 170 English Archers 119 Hobelars

[Barry Goldwater]

Nottingham and Northumbria meet with Northampton as requested, while waiting for the final arrival - Gerbod the Flem, the former's neighbor. "Well, my lord of Northampton?" Richard Perceval asked, not in Latin or French, but in (by now, reasonably fluent - those lessons with Elga and Gunhild had helped much) English. "What news from the coast? I hear the Danes have occupied Hull..."

The elder Perceval sat back in his saddle for now, content to observe how his son would handle the task of leading an entire army into battle for the first time. That naturally necessitated knowing how to communicate and coordinate with one's fellow commanders.

[Pericles of Athens]

Waltheof was unsure of how to view Richard, he had been named Earl of Northumbria, but he held only a small portion of lands in his own right (the rest held in trust for his stepchild, and Waltheof’s nephew, Harold) and was still rather young. “Yes, the town of Hull has surrendered in the face of the Danish host, Perceval. They now use its port to dock their ships.” Waltheof replied, tightening his grip on the reigns of his horse, the Earl of Northampton was not a particularly skilled equestrian. “I know not if the castle there yet stands, but their host marches upon York with purpose, following in the footsteps of my own army.” Speaking in his native tongue put the man at ease. “As I mentioned in my missive, the men under Canute will number at least four thousand. Though..” He shakes his head dissisvly. “I am uncertain we will be able to amass our full strength before my cousin arrives.”

[Gandalfus]

A Danish host arrives before the walls of York, not far from the gathering of the Northumbrian earls. A messenger arrives, with Canute requesting a parley between himself and the leader of this host.

[Adamat]

The Flem had arrived before the Danish host had shown themselves. He wasted no time riding through the camp up to the commander's pavilion, making his presence known.

Ooc: standby on numbers, im hungover

[Barry Goldwater]

Waltheof was unsure of how to view Richard, he had been named Earl of Northumbria, but he held only a small portion of lands in his own right (the rest held in trust for his stepchild, and Waltheof’s nephew, Harold) and was still rather young. “Yes, the town of Hull has surrendered in the face of the Danish host, Perceval. They now use its port to dock their ships.” Waltheof replied, tightening his grip on the reigns of his horse, the Earl of Northampton was not a particularly skilled equestrian. “I know not if the castle there yet stands, but their host marches upon York with purpose, following in the footsteps of my own army.” Speaking in his native tongue put the man at ease. “As I mentioned in my missive, the men under Canute will number at least four thousand. Though..” He shakes his head dissisvly. “I am uncertain we will be able to amass our full strength before my cousin arrives.”

"We may have to do make do with what we have, which is fortunately a significant number already." Richard said, nodding in response to Waltheof's words. "I don't believe withdrawing and giving the Danes free reign to terrorize the inland North is a viable option. But nonetheless, I will call a war council once Gerbod the Flem arrives so that we may debate the options before us."

The Flem had arrived before the Danish host had shown themselves. He wasted no time riding through the camp up to the commander's pavilion, making his presence known.

Ooc: standby on numbers, im hungover

The Flem is directed to the army's central pavilion, where the Percevals and Waltheof are holding the war council Northumbria spoke of earlier.

-----

The Earl of Northumbria goes out to meet Canute for parley in the field between their two armies, having previously invited the other English commanders to accompany him so that they could all say their piece. He suspected Waltheof, in particular, might have something to say to his cousin.

[Pericles of Athens]

“Obviously.”Northampton responded matter of factly. “We have to make a stand here, win or lose, no good can come of allowing York to fall without a fight.” York was the heart of the north and the key to the region.
____________

Waltheof was at the war council, with the Percevals, when the Flem arrived. The man was muscular for his age, with a full beard, though the skin on his right hand was twisted with distinctive heat scaring. He wore armor even now and grumbled impassively as the newcomer entered. The man looked half a Dane himself, and not just because he was, in fact, half a Dane.

____________

The Earl of Northampton rode out with the young Perceval for the meeting with Canute. He didn’t speak as they made for the parley, truth be told he’d never met Sweyn or his spawn, despite the familial relations.

[Adamat]

Gerbod's host

76 knights 114 serjeants 152 fyrdmen 190 footmen 190 archers 114 hobilars Total: 836 men Commanders: Gerbod de Oosterzele Skills: Battles +2, personal combat +3, survival +2 Clais de Yshoute Skills: Battles +1, personal combat +2, survival +2, scout +1

The Fleming nodded at the men gathered, before taking a seat. "I hear they've landed, then," he stated in french, whether oblivious to the Saxon or unwilling to speak another language he did not quite make clear. "Do we know where they are, and how many of them?" The Fleming had never been one for observing pleasantries, and especially in matters of war he was wont to get right down to business. A trait he'd gained in his mercenary years, and had found useful in his dealings with the Saxons.

[Pericles of Athens]

“I saw their host first hand, Flem, they number in the thousands. My scouts say close to four, it certainly isn’t King Sweyn’s full force..” Waltheof replied in English, unwilling to discuss delicate matters in a foreign tongue, though he had become more accustomed to french since his visit to Winchester. “Canute follows my host here.”

[Gandalfus]

"We may have to do make do with what we have, which is fortunately a significant number already." Richard said, nodding in response to Waltheof's words. "I don't believe withdrawing and giving the Danes free reign to terrorize the inland North is a viable option. But nonetheless, I will call a war council once Gerbod the Flem arrives so that we may debate the options before us."

The Flem is directed to the army's central pavilion, where the Percevals and Waltheof are holding the war council Northumbria spoke of earlier.

-----

The Earl of Northumbria goes out to meet Canute for parley in the field between their two armies, having previously invited the other English commanders to accompany him so that they could all say their piece. He suspected Waltheof, in particular, might have something to say to his cousin.

“Obviously.”Northampton responded matter of factly. “We have to make a stand here, win or lose, no good can come of allowing York to fall without a fight.” York was the heart of the north and the key to the region.
____________

Waltheof was at the war council, with the Percevals, when the Flem arrived. The man was muscular for his age, with a full beard, though the skin on his right hand was twisted with distinctive heat scaring. He wore armor even now and grumbled impassively as the newcomer entered. The man looked half a Dane himself, and not just because he was, in fact, half a Dane.

____________

The Earl of Northampton rode out with the young Perceval for the meeting with Canute. He didn’t speak as they made for the parley, truth be told he’d never met Sweyn or his spawn, despite the familial relations.

Canute came out at the head of a party of Huscarls, all mounted and armoured. Like Sweyn he was tall and big-boned, all sinew and muscle. He was no mere youth either; his full beard and weathered face put him closer to forty than twenty. He had cut his teeth against the Wends and other pagans, and was widely considered to be one of the two serious candidates to succeed to the throne when the King reached the end of his natural life.

"Greetings, my lords."

He spoke in Latin - vulgar in every sense of the word, polluted by long centuries of Germanic influence. It was the same as that spoken at the court of the Roman Emperors, exported north as the Danes began to accept the word of God.

"I hope you will pay me homage in my father's stead, as King of the English. He is the blood of Estrid, sister of Canute, who conquered this land from the unworthy Ethelred."

​Likely not, but it was worth a try.

[Barry Goldwater]

"I regret to inform you that the assembled lords here have all sworn oaths to King Edgar, descendant of that same Ethelred your father's uncle dethroned. And we're not the sort to break oaths easily, are we now, my lords?" Richard looked to his peers. Edgar had done his family no wrong, quite the opposite in fact, and in any case the fate of Robert of Mortain lingered still in his memory as the natural & divinely ordained consequence for oath-breaking.

For his part, the Earl of Nottingham simply grunted, "That's quite right."

[Pericles of Athens]

“Perceval speaks the truth, I am sworn to Edgar as my father was to Canute.” The Earl of Northampton replied, this wasn’t a fight he wished to have. “Though I do wonder, if my cousin seeks a second crown why has he not come personally to claim it?” Waltheof questioned, Canute was clearly a formidable man in his own right, but it was odd that Sweyn himself would not rise to lay his claim.

[Barry Goldwater]

Gerbod's host

76 knights 114 serjeants 152 fyrdmen 190 footmen 190 archers 114 hobilars Total: 836 men Commanders: Gerbod de Oosterzele Clais de Yshoute

The Fleming nodded at the men gathered, before taking a seat. "I hear they've landed, then," he stated in french, whether oblivious to the Saxon or unwilling to speak another language he did not quite make clear. "Do we know where they are, and how many of them?" The Fleming had never been one for observing pleasantries, and especially in matters of war he was wont to get right down to business. A trait he'd gained in his mercenary years, and had found useful in his dealings with the Saxons.

“I saw their host first hand, Flem, they number in the thousands. My scouts say close to four, it certainly isn’t King Sweyn’s full force..” Waltheof replied in English, unwilling to discuss delicate matters in a foreign tongue, though he had become more accustomed to french since his visit to Winchester. “Canute follows my host here.”

"Then it's too late to do anything but brace for the oncoming fight, my lords." Northumbria interjected in Latin, unwilling to wade into the linguistic fight brewing between Northampton and Gerbod.

To his right, his father nods. "If we retreat, besides it being a poor look, we'll likely get caught anyway. The only choice I see, is the choice of whether to fight from within York's walls or meet the Danes in the field." And he wasn't certain York's walls, old as they were, could hold an entire army of near four thousand.

[Adamat]

Gerbod nodded, proceeding in Latin himself. "It would seem our forces have similar numbers, then. In my opinion, we would do well to face them in the field. I have no personal experience with the northmen in battle, but I have heard that they favour infantry, rather than heavy horse. On the plains, we have a considerable edge with our cavalry, whereas on walls, we'll have no such advantage." He looked around the tent. "Do you have a map of the area? It would seem we've been given some time to prepare, and we would do well to use it. Choose our battlefield to our own accord, perhaps even set an ambush."

[Pericles of Athens]

Waltheof thought this was a good compromise, Latin came easily to him after the years of clerical training he underwent. “Gerbod is right, the Norsemen will bring superior infantry to the field. My huscarls are outmatched by none, but I only have so many to bring to bare.” Norman sergeants were no joke in their own right, but they paled in comparison to the cream of the Saxon and Norse crop. “Cavalry will be one of our few advantages, and if we are going to face them in the field it would be wise to force a confrontation on terrain allowing them full mobility.” The Norman knights had made their weaknesses readily apparent in the Saxon rebellion, or so the Earl had heard, and he sought to cover those weaknesses. The Dane crossed his arms in thought. “The alternative sacrifices the lands for the hope of reinforcement.. ontop of that concern I doubt York can properly contain the entirety of our forces, including supplies, animals, and noncombatants.” Allowing the Danes free reign over the countryside didn’t sit well with Waltheof, but it still had to be discussed even if it were ultimately rejected.

[Sudden Death]

A messenger arrives from Baldwin de Clare, advising that if the generals can delay the main action through skirmishing and harrassing the foraging and supply lines of the Danes, he can arrive with his corps to tip the balance in their favour, as well as strain Danish supplies and morale.

[chesser2538]

Avranches has mustered his army at Richmond and prepares to march south to York to aide the growing army there. He sends a rider ahead to alert Percival and the other commanders of his arrival.
Host
66 KN
99 SGT
132 FYRD
132 FT
132 AR
99 HOB

660 Men

Retinue
25 KN
75 SGT

100 Men

Total:760 Men

Gerald d'Avranches
Skills:
+2 battles
+1 personal combat
+1 Survival
+2 wealth
+1 Charisma
-1 to rout/assassination/escape rolls.

[chesser2538]

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